Newb Question: Third party drives with AB PLCS?

[skyriverit]

Is it possible to attach a third party drive (such as the Kollmorgen AKD series) to an AB logix plc? The kollmorgen drive will be connected to a third party motor/encoder.

 

[Saffa]

Depends what you mean by "attach". If you're just using discrete io for run signal and an analog output for speed reference then absolutely. If you want to control it via a communications bus then your drive will need to support the same protocol as your PLC. This often means a comms card for the drive and / or PLC.

 

[Andybr]

I have never used one of these drives but it looks as if there is an Ethernet IP option available for them. With this it should be possible to simply add the drive to the IO tree in Logix5000 if there is an add on profile available (easy) or add it as a generic EIP device if no profile is available (harder). I would ask Kollmorgen.

 

[Geospark]

Hi and Welcome to the Forum!

I assume when you say "logix", you are referring to a Logix 5000 controller, which uses RSLogix 5000/Studio 5000 software, and not a MicroLogix controller, such as a ML1400, which uses RSLogix 500 software?

The use of both types are supported over Ethernet/IP (ML1400 only for RSLogix 500) with the Kollmorgen AKD Servo Drives, which have EthernetI/P built in, but the Logix 5000 option is by far the easier to set up and more robust of the two.

Here is the specific PDF for setting up either of the above options with a servo that has built in EthernetI/P:

Kollmorgen AKD EtherNetIP RSLogix Communications Manual EN Rev G FW 1-12

If you are using an AKD Basic Drive, or older Servo Drive, then Ethernet/IP functionality is not built in. You would need an additional interface module if you want to communicate over Ethernet/IP to your controller. Kollmorgen do not provide such a module themselves, but Imac Motion Control have specific interface modules for converting from older serial com ports on the servos to Ethernet/IP based Logix 5000 controllers.

Here is a link to info on Imac's modules and some useful code and AOIs:

IMAC Kollmorgen Ethernet/IP Servo Module

Here is IMAC's specific PDF for setting up the modules with RSLogix 5000:

IMAC Kollmorgen Ethernet/IP Servo Module

Regards,
George